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Maj Zizinga will be buried with military honours - Army
Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) is mourning one of the National Resistance Army (NRA) historicals, Maj Oliver Zizinga who died January 23, 2021 in Kampala. PHOTOS/ COURTESY.
What you need to know:
- The story of how and why Maj Zizinga, 85, joined the guerrilla war that brought President Museveni to power in 1986 is linked to Uganda’s troubled political history and insecurity.
Maj Oliver Zizinga, the National Resistance Army fighter in the five-year Luweero guerilla war, will be buried on Wednesday with military honours.
Army spokesperson Flavia Byekwaso told Daily Monitor yesterday that a funeral service will be held today at St Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe.
“We shall give her military honours for contribution to liberate the country,” she said.
The story of how and why Maj Zizinga, 85, joined the guerrilla war that brought President Museveni to power in 1986 is linked to Uganda’s troubled political history and insecurity.
Her three children were killed by the government soldiers in 1980 and in an interview with Daily Monitor in 2014, she said she vowed to support whoever started a rebellion against the government of the former president Milton Obote.
In 1981, an opportunity came when then rebel leader Museveni was told by Moses Kigongo that there was a woman in Kyadondo who had mobilised locals to attack government soldiers for looting shops in the area.
Mr Museveni sent guards to take her to the bush where they met.
Zizinga was given a role to mobilise food for the rebels in combat. Later, she and Ms Gertrude Njuba were given the responsibility to take charge of Museveni’s welfare and that meant they had to be with the rebel leader wherever.
Two years after capturing in 1988, she was given the rank of Captain and was later promoted to Major in 2009.
Maj Zizinga will be buried in Semuto, Luweero District .
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